The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-10-21
Agricultural.

The cabbage worm has not been |
visibly affected by the hard things said
against him, nor have the numerous
sure cure remedies sensibly affected
his appetite. Peter Henderson sug- |
gests the application Of alum water.
one pound of pulverized alum to three
gallons of water. This will not injure
the plant and may kill the worm.
Pyrethrum, either in powder or solu-
ton, is effective. The great difficulty
is to get any preparation on the worms,
and to repeat the application as often
as the successive broods hatch out
There is no process known that will
keep cider sweet without deteriorating
its methods for arresting fermentation
and preventing it from becoming sour.
| Professional cider makers sometimes
use Shaw's Antiseptic Solution; others,
who prefer to avoid patented articles,
employ sulphite of lime, which is
added after fermentation until the
cider Aas acquired the acid taste de-
sired. The powder is first mixed in a
quart or so Of cider and then poured
into the cask and thoroughly shaken.
Do not mistake sulphate of lime for
sufphite of lime; the latter ls the cor
rect article.
The great secret for preventing de-
cay in fruit through autumn and win
ter, is to preserve uniformly low
temperature. IT changing and fuct
uating, they quickly rot. Currents of
air are bad, because they make changes
!, in temperature. We find that apples
keep longer in winter by merely wrap
ping each specimen in tissue paper and
thus excluding air. Hence the advan-
,, tage of packing in any soft, powdered
substance, as dry sawdust, bran,
ground plaster, or bedding in moss.
: On large scale this cannot be done,
and large fruit rooms must therefore
} be kept cool without changes of air
Much may be accomplished by venti
lating windows, admitting cold air in
the night, and excluding warm air in
the day time py closing them. These
i remarks apply more particularly to ap
u Piles and pears, and also to grapes
They would also apply to small and
Q perishable fruits, if it were an objec,
y to keep them, but the common prac
n tice is to consume them while tresh.-
y Country Gentleman.
Some judgment is required to know
o. when to cease using the lawn mover
Il in autumn. The grass should not b.
J. cut too close, but enough left to pro
m tect the roots in cold weather; nor lef
too dense 10 smother the lower leaves
" As q general rule, there should b
70 twice as Inuch growth as through tn
,e summer The kind of fertihzing top
dressing used will make some differ
ID ence. A fine coat of pulverized CON
in post, halt an inch thick, will affor
te considerable protection to the grasi
ii but concentrated fertilizer, like supe
lv phosphate, will make but little diffel
n. ence. Ii sometimes happens that lawn
are uneven or have depressions in the
he surface. Early in autumn is goo
ali time to correct these defects by fillin
et the depressions with sand or fine pu
ee yerized soil. rsking perfectly level wit
nd Lna TesL ol tnc buiiaoc auu eo"tu
,;x lawn grass seed. Or, the depression
may be gradually filled by placing a
nm inch of fine soil in them, each year 50
nd eessfully, through which the grass {
alf ready growing will find its way, ar
a thus obviate sowing seed.
I'm The experience of the rolling yea
me proves that the farmer cannot alwa
we feel secure in the most promising ]
suits. Such has been the case the pa
season in the result of the potato orc
lot With no other trouble than I
gh. changes of weather in some section
'ok the crop was very much reduced
low medium crop. To this result
been added 10 some sections a dis,
ferrous potato rot which threate
severe destruction to the crop as
BILE was, 1t is difficult matter to det
mine the real cause of the potato 7,
vas 1t comes suddenly, with little if a
or. warning, and with no apparent oau
al that can be satisfactorily traced, Il
an has there yet been any remedy disco
rad cred, so far as we know, that is effe
m; ual. The trouble seems to be that I
I'm disease gsts an uncomfortable hold
100 the potatoes before any evidence
Of its existence is made manif.st. y
Of have known the foliage of field to
on destroyed almost in single dl
'rai About as sure an indication of
son presence OF disease as any that
Oh know, in its f'st stages, is the prev
had enee of an unpleasant odor then
os;. lows an immediate whitening Of
Mr. foliage and an examination disclo
1;m diseased tubers.-Germantoacn ~
T., 1rd1h